The Salem Red Sox are home this week as the Low-A East minor league baseball season heads down the home stretch. Beginning Tuesday of this week the Sox have 18 games left as they battle for a spot in the league playoffs.
Only two teams among the 12 Low-A East clubs make the playoffs in the new minor league format, and Salem was third coming into the week. Charleston has the top spot locked up at 71-31 with Carolina second at 61-41 and Salem just a game back at 60-42.
This week the Sox will host Fredricksburg for six games. The Nationals have the second worst record among the 12 Low-A East teams at 37-65. Carolina will host Delmarva this week, a much better team at 57-45.
Salem played host to Delmarva last week and split a six game series with the Shorebirds. In Sunday’s series finale they were able to gain the split with a 10-2 win as newcomer Nick Kavadas blasted his first home run as a member of the Salem Sox. He also had a double and four runs batted in as Salem stayed in the hunt for a playoff spot.
This week will be the second last homestand for Salem, who will finish up with a series at Lynchburg next week, then six home games with Delmarva to end the regular season.
Saturday Salem will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Salem Avalanche Carolina League championship. The first 1,000 fans will receive a commemorative t-shirt.